7 Tailgating essentials Every Man Needs For The Weekend

You are preparing for another season of tailgating. You have been around long enough to know that you have to do things the right way. You have to take care of your tailgating needs ahead of time and that will allow you to go to the game and start turning over your cards that reveal a winning tailgating hand. Here are seven tailgating essentials that you need for an excellent experience.

Grill

This is a tailgating essential. If you try to tailgate without a grill, you are really doing nothing more than having prepared sandwiches and salads before the game. A true tailgating experience requires you to grill your food. You need a big grill to accommodate a large group so you can cook all your meat properly. You will be using charcoal and lighter fluid to get your grill nice and hot. Propane tanks? Those are for amateurs.

Meat

You may serve many other items during your tailgating experience, but your meat will determine whether your tailgating party is a success or a failure. You want to make sure that everyone has plenty to eat. Whether you are making steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken or something more exotic, bring plenty of meat to cook. Better to have too much than not enough. If you are master-gaiter, you will share your food with tailgating neighbors.

Liquid Refreshments

You are going to watch a football game and you have to prepare for the game with the proper thirst-quenching beverages. That means beer, and plenty of it. If you are tailgating with your kids, make sure you have plenty of soda and water. Let your guests know that if they want to drink wine, they should bring their own. There’s a time for wine, but it’s not when you tailgating. Beer is sufficient.

Cooler with Ice

You can’t just bring the beverages, you have to keep them cold as well. You will need to have at least 20 lbs. of ice to keep your beverages cool and you may want even more than that. Make sure you put your cooler in the shadiest spot you can muster. That will make your ice last longer and keep your beverages as cold as possible.

Games

You can sit around and eat and drink, but you also want to have something to do during the 2-to-3 hours that you are tailgating. Of course you will bring a football so you and your buddies can show off your moves. Remember, there’s going to be plenty of hotties watching you. But you will be limited in how far you can throw because the parking lot will probably be crowded. Bring a game like Baggo to play. Not only can you and your buddies enjoy it, your neighbors may join you and make it an even bigger party.

Music

As you sit back and enjoy your tailgating experience, you are not going in a library. It’s not about quiet. It’s about listening to music so you can get pumped up for the game you are there to see. Hard rock is appropriate when you are going to watch a football game.

Canopy

This is essential when you are facing potential nasty weather or overpowering sun. You need to have an area where you can have some protection from the elements. You’re still going to get wet if it rains, but you will have some relief. Same thing goes with the sun. The canopy may protect you from getting a painful sunburn.